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# PluralFormat

`public class PluralFormat`
`` `` `extends UFormat` ``

java.lang.Object
↳ | java.text.Format
| ↳ | android.icu.text.UFormat
|  | ↳ | android.icu.text.PluralFormat

`PluralFormat` supports the creation of internationalized messages with plural inflection. It is based on plural selection, i.e. the caller specifies messages for each plural case that can appear in the user's language and the `PluralFormat` selects the appropriate message based on the number.

### The Problem of Plural Forms in Internationalized Messages

Different languages have different ways to inflect plurals. Creating internationalized messages that include plural forms is only feasible when the framework is able to handle plural forms of all languages correctly. `ChoiceFormat` doesn't handle this well, because it attaches a number interval to each message and selects the message whose interval contains a given number. This can only handle a finite number of intervals. But in some languages, like Polish, one plural case applies to infinitely many intervals (e.g., the paucal case applies to numbers ending with 2, 3, or 4 except those ending with 12, 13, or 14). Thus `ChoiceFormat` is not adequate.

`PluralFormat` deals with this by breaking the problem into two parts:

- It uses `PluralRules` that can define more complex conditions for a plural case than just a single interval. These plural rules define both what plural cases exist in a language, and to which numbers these cases apply.
- It provides predefined plural rules for many languages. Thus, the programmer need not worry about the plural cases of a language and does not have to define the plural cases; they can simply use the predefined keywords. The whole plural formatting of messages can be done using localized patterns from resource bundles. For predefined plural rules, see the CLDR Language Plural Rules page at http://unicode.org/repos/cldr-tmp/trunk/diff/supplemental/language_plural_rules.html

#### Usage of `PluralFormat`

Note: Typically, plural formatting is done via `MessageFormat` with a `plural` argument type, rather than using a stand-alone `PluralFormat`.

This discussion assumes that you use `PluralFormat` with a predefined set of plural rules. You can create one using one of the constructors that takes a `ULocale` object. To specify the message pattern, you can either pass it to the constructor or set it explicitly using the `applyPattern()` method. The `format()` method takes a number object and selects the message of the matching plural case. This message will be returned.

##### Patterns and Their Interpretation

The pattern text defines the message output for each plural case of the specified locale. Syntax:

>      pluralStyle = [offsetValue] (selector '{' message '}')+
>      offsetValue = "offset:" number
>      selector = explicitValue | keyword
>      explicitValue = '=' number  // adjacent, no white space in between
>      keyword = [^[[:Pattern_Syntax:][:Pattern_White_Space:]]]+
>      message: see MessageFormat

Pattern_White_Space between syntax elements is ignored, except between the {curly braces} and their sub-message, and between the '=' and the number of an explicitValue.

There are 6 predefined case keywords in CLDR/ICU - 'zero', 'one', 'two', 'few', 'many' and 'other'. You always have to define a message text for the default plural case "`other`" which is contained in every rule set. If you do not specify a message text for a particular plural case, the message text of the plural case "`other`" gets assigned to this plural case.

When formatting, the input number is first matched against the explicitValue clauses. If there is no exact-number match, then a keyword is selected by calling the `PluralRules` with the input number minus the offset. (The offset defaults to 0 if it is omitted from the pattern string.) If there is no clause with that keyword, then the "other" clauses is returned.

An unquoted pound sign (`#`) in the selected sub-message itself (i.e., outside of arguments nested in the sub-message) is replaced by the input number minus the offset. The number-minus-offset value is formatted using a `NumberFormat` for the `PluralFormat`'s locale. If you need special number formatting, you have to use a `MessageFormat` and explicitly specify a `NumberFormat` argument. Note: That argument is formatting without subtracting the offset! If you need a custom format and have a non-zero offset, then you need to pass the number-minus-offset value as a separate parameter.

For a usage example, see the `MessageFormat` class documentation.

#### Defining Custom Plural Rules

If you need to use `PluralFormat` with custom rules, you can create a `PluralRules` object and pass it to `PluralFormat`'s constructor. If you also specify a locale in this constructor, this locale will be used to format the number in the message texts.

For more information about `PluralRules`, see `PluralRules`.

## Summary

### Public constructors
`PluralFormat()` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for the default `FORMAT` locale.
`PluralFormat(ULocale ulocale)` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given locale.
`PluralFormat(Locale locale)` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given `Locale`.
`PluralFormat(PluralRules rules)` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules.
`PluralFormat(ULocale ulocale, PluralRules rules)` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules.
`PluralFormat(Locale locale, PluralRules rules)` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules.
`PluralFormat(ULocale ulocale, PluralRules.PluralType type)` Creates a new `PluralFormat` for the plural type.
`PluralFormat(Locale locale, PluralRules.PluralType type)` Creates a new `PluralFormat` for the plural type.
`PluralFormat(String pattern)` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given pattern string.
`PluralFormat(ULocale ulocale, String pattern)` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given pattern string and locale.
`PluralFormat(PluralRules rules, String pattern)` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules and a pattern.
`PluralFormat(ULocale ulocale, PluralRules rules, String pattern)` Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules, a pattern and a locale.
`PluralFormat(ULocale ulocale, PluralRules.PluralType type, String pattern)` Creates a new `PluralFormat` for a plural type, a pattern and a locale.

### Public methods
`void` | `applyPattern(String pattern)` Sets the pattern used by this plural format.
`boolean` | `equals(Object rhs)` Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.
`boolean` | `equals(PluralFormat rhs)` Returns true if this equals the provided PluralFormat.
`final String` | `format(double number)` Formats a plural message for a given number.
`StringBuffer` | `format(Object number, StringBuffer toAppendTo, FieldPosition pos)` Formats a plural message for a given number and appends the formatted message to the given `StringBuffer`.
`int` | `hashCode()` Returns a hash code value for the object.
`Number` | `parse(String text, ParsePosition parsePosition)` This method is not yet supported by `PluralFormat`.
`Object` | `parseObject(String source, ParsePosition pos)` This method is not yet supported by `PluralFormat`.
`void` | `setNumberFormat(NumberFormat format)` Sets the number format used by this formatter.
`String` | `toPattern()` Returns the pattern for this PluralFormat.
`String` | `toString()` Returns a string representation of the object.

### Inherited methods
From class `java.text.Format`
`Object` | `clone()` Creates and returns a copy of this object.
`final String` | `format(Object obj)` Formats an object to produce a string.
`abstract StringBuffer` | `format(Object obj, StringBuffer toAppendTo, FieldPosition pos)` Formats an object and appends the resulting text to a given string buffer.
`AttributedCharacterIterator` | `formatToCharacterIterator(Object obj)` Formats an Object producing an `AttributedCharacterIterator`.
`Object` | `parseObject(String source)` Parses text from the beginning of the given string to produce an object.
`abstract Object` | `parseObject(String source, ParsePosition pos)` Parses text from a string to produce an object.
From class `java.lang.Object`
`Object` | `clone()` Creates and returns a copy of this object.
`boolean` | `equals(Object obj)` Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.
`void` | `finalize()` Called by the garbage collector on an object when garbage collection determines that there are no more references to the object.
`final Class<?>` | `getClass()` Returns the runtime class of this `Object`.
`int` | `hashCode()` Returns a hash code value for the object.
`final void` | `notify()` Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on this object's monitor.
`final void` | `notifyAll()` Wakes up all threads that are waiting on this object's monitor.
`String` | `toString()` Returns a string representation of the object.
`final void` | `wait(long timeout, int nanos)` Causes the current thread to wait until another thread invokes the `notify()` method or the `notifyAll()` method for this object, or some other thread interrupts the current thread, or a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
`final void` | `wait(long timeout)` Causes the current thread to wait until either another thread invokes the `notify()` method or the `notifyAll()` method for this object, or a specified amount of time has elapsed.
`final void` | `wait()` Causes the current thread to wait until another thread invokes the `notify()` method or the `notifyAll()` method for this object.

## Public constructors

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat ()

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for the default `FORMAT` locale. This locale will be used to get the set of plural rules and for standard number formatting.

See also:

- `ULocale.Category.FORMAT`

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (ULocale ulocale)

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given locale.

Parameters
`ulocale` | `ULocale`: the `PluralFormat` will be configured with rules for this locale. This locale will also be used for standard number formatting.

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (Locale locale)

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given `Locale`.

Parameters
`locale` | `Locale`: the `PluralFormat` will be configured with rules for this locale. This locale will also be used for standard number formatting.

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (PluralRules rules)

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules. The standard number formatting will be done using the default `FORMAT` locale.

Parameters
`rules` | `PluralRules`: defines the behavior of the `PluralFormat` object.

See also:

- `ULocale.Category.FORMAT`

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (ULocale ulocale,
                    PluralRules rules)

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules. The standard number formatting will be done using the given locale.

Parameters
`ulocale` | `ULocale`: the default number formatting will be done using this locale.
`rules` | `PluralRules`: defines the behavior of the `PluralFormat` object.

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (Locale locale,
                    PluralRules rules)

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules. The standard number formatting will be done using the given locale.

Parameters
`locale` | `Locale`: the default number formatting will be done using this locale.
`rules` | `PluralRules`: defines the behavior of the `PluralFormat` object.

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (ULocale ulocale,
                    PluralRules.PluralType type)

Creates a new `PluralFormat` for the plural type. The standard number formatting will be done using the given locale.

Parameters
`ulocale` | `ULocale`: the default number formatting will be done using this locale.
`type` | `PluralRules.PluralType`: The plural type (e.g., cardinal or ordinal).

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (Locale locale,
                    PluralRules.PluralType type)

Creates a new `PluralFormat` for the plural type. The standard number formatting will be done using the given `Locale`.

Parameters
`locale` | `Locale`: the default number formatting will be done using this locale.
`type` | `PluralRules.PluralType`: The plural type (e.g., cardinal or ordinal).

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (String pattern)

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given pattern string. The default `FORMAT` locale will be used to get the set of plural rules and for standard number formatting.

Parameters
`pattern` | `String`: the pattern for this `PluralFormat`.

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException` | if the pattern is invalid.

See also:

- `ULocale.Category.FORMAT`

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (ULocale ulocale,
                    String pattern)

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given pattern string and locale. The locale will be used to get the set of plural rules and for standard number formatting.

Example code:

    ULocale locEn = new ULocale("en");
    ULocale locSl = new ULocale("sl");

    String patEn = "one{dog} other{dogs}";                      // English 'dog'
    String patSl = "one{pes} two{psa} few{psi} other{psov}";    // Slovenian translation of dog in Plural Form

    // Create a new PluralFormat for a given locale locale and pattern string
    PluralFormat plfmtEn = new PluralFormat(locEn, patEn);
    PluralFormat plfmtSl = new PluralFormat(locSl, patSl);
    // Constructs a MessageFormat for the specified locale and pattern.
    MessageFormat msgfmtEn = new MessageFormat("{0,number} {1}", locEn);
    MessageFormat msgfmtSl = new MessageFormat("{0,number} {1}", locSl);

    final int[] numbers = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 100, 101, 102};
    System.out.println("Output by using PluralFormat and MessageFormat API\n");
    System.out.printf("%-16s%-16s%-16s\n", "Number", "English", "Slovenian");

    // Use MessageFormat.format () to format the objects and appends to the given StringBuffer
    for (int num : numbers) {
        StringBuffer msgEn = new StringBuffer();
        StringBuffer msgSl = new StringBuffer();

        msgfmtEn.format(new Object[] {num, plfmtEn.format(num)}, msgEn, new FieldPosition(0));
        msgfmtSl.format(new Object[] {num, plfmtSl.format(num)}, msgSl, new FieldPosition(0));

        System.out.printf("%-16s%-16s%-16s\n", num, msgEn, msgSl);
    }

    System.out.println();

    // Equivalent code with message format pattern
    String msgPatEn = "{0,plural, one{# dog} other{# dogs}}";
    String msgPatSl = "{0,plural, one{# pes} two{# psa} few{# psi} other{# psov}}";

    MessageFormat altMsgfmtEn = new MessageFormat(msgPatEn, locEn);
    MessageFormat altMsgfmtSl = new MessageFormat(msgPatSl, locSl);
    System.out.println("Same Output by using MessageFormat API only\n");
    System.out.printf("%-16s%-16s%-16s\n", "Number", "English", "Slovenian");
    for (int num : numbers) {
        StringBuffer msgEn = new StringBuffer();
        StringBuffer msgSl = new StringBuffer();

        altMsgfmtEn.format(new Object[] {num}, msgEn, new FieldPosition(0));
        altMsgfmtSl.format(new Object[] {num}, msgSl, new FieldPosition(0));

        System.out.printf("%-16s%-16s%-16s\n", num, msgEn, msgSl);
    }
    /** output of the sample code:
     ********************************************************************
      Number          English         Slovenian
      0               0 dogs          0 psov
      1               1 dog           1 pes
      2               2 dogs          2 psa
      3               3 dogs          3 psi
      4               4 dogs          4 psi
      5               5 dogs          5 psov
      10              10 dogs         10 psov
      100             100 dogs        100 psov
      101             101 dogs        101 pes
      102             102 dogs        102 psa

     *******************************************************************/

Parameters
`ulocale` | `ULocale`: the `PluralFormat` will be configured with rules for this locale. This locale will also be used for standard number formatting.
`pattern` | `String`: the pattern for this `PluralFormat`.

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException` | if the pattern is invalid.

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (PluralRules rules,
                    String pattern)

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules and a pattern. The standard number formatting will be done using the default `FORMAT` locale.

Parameters
`rules` | `PluralRules`: defines the behavior of the `PluralFormat` object.
`pattern` | `String`: the pattern for this `PluralFormat`.

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException` | if the pattern is invalid.

See also:

- `ULocale.Category.FORMAT`

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (ULocale ulocale,
                    PluralRules rules,
                    String pattern)

Creates a new cardinal-number `PluralFormat` for a given set of rules, a pattern and a locale.

Parameters
`ulocale` | `ULocale`: the `PluralFormat` will be configured with rules for this locale. This locale will also be used for standard number formatting.
`rules` | `PluralRules`: defines the behavior of the `PluralFormat` object.
`pattern` | `String`: the pattern for this `PluralFormat`.

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException` | if the pattern is invalid.

### PluralFormat

    public PluralFormat (ULocale ulocale,
                    PluralRules.PluralType type,
                    String pattern)

Creates a new `PluralFormat` for a plural type, a pattern and a locale.

Parameters
`ulocale` | `ULocale`: the `PluralFormat` will be configured with rules for this locale. This locale will also be used for standard number formatting.
`type` | `PluralRules.PluralType`: The plural type (e.g., cardinal or ordinal).
`pattern` | `String`: the pattern for this `PluralFormat`.

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException` | if the pattern is invalid.

## Public methods

### applyPattern

    public void applyPattern (String pattern)

Sets the pattern used by this plural format. The method parses the pattern and creates a map of format strings for the plural rules. Patterns and their interpretation are specified in the class description.

Parameters
`pattern` | `String`: the pattern for this plural format.

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException` | if the pattern is invalid.

### equals

    public boolean equals (Object rhs)

Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.

The `equals` method implements an equivalence relation on non-null object references:

- It is reflexive: for any non-null reference value `x`, `x.equals(x)` should return `true`.
- It is symmetric: for any non-null reference values `x` and `y`, `x.equals(y)` should return `true` if and only if `y.equals(x)` returns `true`.
- It is transitive: for any non-null reference values `x`, `y`, and `z`, if `x.equals(y)` returns `true` and `y.equals(z)` returns `true`, then `x.equals(z)` should return `true`.
- It is consistent: for any non-null reference values `x` and `y`, multiple invocations of `x.equals(y)` consistently return `true` or consistently return `false`, provided no information used in `equals` comparisons on the objects is modified.
- For any non-null reference value `x`, `x.equals(null)` should return `false`.

The `equals` method for class `Object` implements the most discriminating possible equivalence relation on objects; that is, for any non-null reference values `x` and `y`, this method returns `true` if and only if `x` and `y` refer to the same object (`x == y` has the value `true`).

Note that it is generally necessary to override the `hashCode` method whenever this method is overridden, so as to maintain the general contract for the `hashCode` method, which states that equal objects must have equal hash codes.

Parameters
`rhs` | `Object`: the reference object with which to compare.

Returns
`boolean` | `true` if this object is the same as the obj argument; `false` otherwise.

### equals

    public boolean equals (PluralFormat rhs)

Returns true if this equals the provided PluralFormat.

Parameters
`rhs` | `PluralFormat`: the PluralFormat to compare against

Returns
`boolean` | true if this equals rhs

### format

    public final String format (double number)

Formats a plural message for a given number.

Parameters
`number` | `double`: a number for which the plural message should be formatted. If no pattern has been applied to this `PluralFormat` object yet, the formatted number will be returned.

Returns
`String` | the string containing the formatted plural message.

### format

    public StringBuffer format (Object number,
                    StringBuffer toAppendTo,
                    FieldPosition pos)

Formats a plural message for a given number and appends the formatted message to the given `StringBuffer`.

Parameters
`number` | `Object`: a number object (instance of `Number` for which the plural message should be formatted. If no pattern has been applied to this `PluralFormat` object yet, the formatted number will be returned. Note: If this object is not an instance of `Number`, the `toAppendTo` will not be modified.
`toAppendTo` | `StringBuffer`: the formatted message will be appended to this `StringBuffer`.
`pos` | `FieldPosition`: will be ignored by this method.

Returns
`StringBuffer` | the string buffer passed in as toAppendTo, with formatted text appended.

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException` | if number is not an instance of Number

### hashCode

    public int hashCode ()

Returns a hash code value for the object. This method is supported for the benefit of hash tables such as those provided by `HashMap`.

The general contract of `hashCode` is:

- Whenever it is invoked on the same object more than once during an execution of a Java application, the `hashCode` method must consistently return the same integer, provided no information used in `equals` comparisons on the object is modified. This integer need not remain consistent from one execution of an application to another execution of the same application.
- If two objects are equal according to the `equals(Object)` method, then calling the `hashCode` method on each of the two objects must produce the same integer result.
- It is not required that if two objects are unequal according to the `equals(java.lang.Object)` method, then calling the `hashCode` method on each of the two objects must produce distinct integer results. However, the programmer should be aware that producing distinct integer results for unequal objects may improve the performance of hash tables.

As much as is reasonably practical, the hashCode method defined by class `Object` does return distinct integers for distinct objects. (This is typically implemented by converting the internal address of the object into an integer, but this implementation technique is not required by the Java™ programming language.)

Returns
`int` | a hash code value for this object.

### parse

    public Number parse (String text,
                    ParsePosition parsePosition)

This method is not yet supported by `PluralFormat`.

Parameters
`text` | `String`: the string to be parsed.
`parsePosition` | `ParsePosition`: defines the position where parsing is to begin, and upon return, the position where parsing left off. If the position has not changed upon return, then parsing failed.

Returns
`Number` | nothing because this method is not yet implemented.

Throws
`UnsupportedOperationException` | will always be thrown by this method.

### parseObject

    public Object parseObject (String source,
                    ParsePosition pos)

This method is not yet supported by `PluralFormat`.

Parameters
`source` | `String`: the string to be parsed.
`pos` | `ParsePosition`: defines the position where parsing is to begin, and upon return, the position where parsing left off. If the position has not changed upon return, then parsing failed.

Returns
`Object` | nothing because this method is not yet implemented.

Throws
`UnsupportedOperationException` | will always be thrown by this method.

### setNumberFormat

    public void setNumberFormat (NumberFormat format)

Sets the number format used by this formatter. You only need to call this if you want a different number format than the default formatter for the locale.

Parameters
`format` | `NumberFormat`: the number format to use.

### toPattern

    public String toPattern ()

Returns the pattern for this PluralFormat.

Returns
`String` | the pattern string

### toString

    public String toString ()

Returns a string representation of the object. In general, the `toString` method returns a string that "textually represents" this object. The result should be a concise but informative representation that is easy for a person to read. It is recommended that all subclasses override this method.

The `toString` method for class `Object` returns a string consisting of the name of the class of which the object is an instance, the at-sign character ``@`', and the unsigned hexadecimal representation of the hash code of the object. In other words, this method returns a string equal to the value of:

>      getClass().getName() + '@' + Integer.toHexString(hashCode())

Returns
`String` | a string representation of the object.

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